Available evidence on the occurrence of Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), fishing activity in relation to VMEs, and spatial management options to minimise the risk from fishing activities to VMEs
For the purpose of this assessment, evidence of VME occurrence is aggregated at the scale of individual 0.05 x 0.05 degrees C-square cells (hereafter termed C-square) where VME habitats or indicator taxa are assumed to be homogeneously distributed. Similarly, fishing effort information is aggregated at the scale of C-squares.
The VME polygon methodology is described in the ACOM technical guidelines based on WKVMEBM (ICES 2022).
Bottom fishing (static and mobile) is the single most important human-induced pressure on the seafloor in this area (see ICES ecosystem overviews).
The VME database contains 234 VME habitat and 872 VME indicator c-squares in this area (based on the 2021 VME data call). This information has been collected through various gear types and survey methods.
New VME habitat and indicator records were submitted and quality checked. This resulted in 41 new VME Habitat c-squares and 33 new VME Index c-squares; 5 index High, 4 index Medium and 24 index Low.
No new VME physical elements were added to the area.
Most new VME Habitat and Index C-squares are outside previous defined VME polygons.
Information on VME Habitat and Index C-squares and the spatial distribution of static and mobile bottom-fishing